People's Pilot, Volume 6, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 January 1897 — FINE MILITARY SHOW [ARTICLE]

FINE MILITARY SHOW

M’KINLBY’B INAUGURATION TO BE A GREAT AFFAIR. Citizen Sold ßttry to Attend From Various States —Civic Clubs Will Be Numerous. Flans For the Bi( Hall—Hoar the Celebrations Are Managed. The 4th of March is two months distant, but preparations for the inauguv ration of Major MoKinley on that date are well Under way. The inaugural committee is holding daily sessions and the details of the ceremonies are being worked out as rapidly as possible. Chairman Bell of the committee has been in New York consulting with General Horace Porter concerning the grand inaugural parade, of which the latter is to be chief marshal. This parade promises to be one of the largest and finest ever held, although its military features may not‘be as prominent as in the past. There seems to be some uncertainty about the presence of the Pennsylvania national guard. There have been many inquiries at oommittee headquarters relative to this body of troops, but no definite information can be had. Governor Hastings and his staff will be present, and it is suggested that probably a regiment or two from Philadelphia may be sent to represent the state, but there is doubt about the full guard being ordered to participate in the parade. For several inaugural sessions the Pennsylvania national guard has been the greatest feature of the parade. Applications have been received from several independent companies in Pennsylvania for place in line, among them one from the Washington Light infantry of Pittsburg, a well drilled body of men. There will be a good representation of military organizations from other states, and the regular troops in and abont Washington will all be in line and make a brilliant display of themselves. Four troops of the Sixth cavalry, known in army circles as the “Fighting Sixth,” are now stationed at Fort Meyer, jnst across the Potomao from Washington. They will be in the military demonstration with their celebrated mounted band.

The Third artillery, stationed at the Washington arsenal, and the marine corps, stationed at the navy yard, will also turn ont. The District militia, consisting of two or three regiments of infantry, a battery of artillery and a troop of cavalry, will be ordered ont, together with several independent military companies in Washington. Word has been reoeived at committee headquarters that the Seventy-first New York regiment has completed arrangements for its inauguration trip. It has chartered a special train of sleeping cars and will come in on the Baltimore and Ohio on March 8. It is stated that over 400 members of the regiment have already pledged themselves to come. Company I of the Thirteenth New York regiment also contemplates attending the inauguration, and it will, it is said, issue a limited number of invitations to members of other companies to accompany it. The Twen-ty-seoond regiment of the same state is also considering the subject of taking part in the inaugural parade. At least two regiments of the Ohio guard, numbering about 1,200 men, will participate in the inaugural parade. They are the Sixteenth, including that oraok military company the Toledo Cadets, Colonel H. H. Bunker, and the Seoond, Colonel Kuert. The railroad officials have deoided to make the rate from Columbus for people in general 1 cent a mile, or sll for the round trip. For the national guard from that point it probably will be half a cent, or $5.50 for the round trip. Perhaps other Ohio regiments will take advantage of this cheap rate and join. The inaugural ceremonies are largely in the hands of the people of the District. They raise the money for the different features, and if there is any money made out of the inaugural ball, the rental of stands along the route of the parade and from concerts they get the benefit. A guarantee fund of $50,000 has been required, and there is now within $5,000 of that amount subscribed. The proposed departure from the custom of holding the inaugural ball in the pension building has happily fallen through. It was proposed to use the new library building, one of the finest structures iu the world for that purpose, but there was such a general protest that the scheme was abandoned and the big ball will be held in the big, barnlike pension bureau building, where there is plenty of room and where there are no temptations to vandalism, as there would be in the library. Those who have labored long to make the national library the richest and most artistic of its kind in the world were horrified at the proposition to pack it with 8,000 or 10,000 people on inauguration night. There are too many evidences of the irrepressible relic hunter and the deliberate vandal in defacements of the capitol, the White House, Washington monument and other pnblio structures to warrant the beautiful marbles, statuary, bronzes, oarvings and paintings of the library immunity from their destroying touch. Chairman Bell has decided that the arrangements for the ball shall be the same as four years ago. The big pension building offers the best of accommodations. The great hall ,or court, of the structure is 280 feet in length and 180 feet wide. The apex of the roof whioh covers it is 150 feet from the floor. The framework of the roof is supported by eight massive pillars, 80 feet in height, and placed four abreast, so as to divide the court into three equal compartments, but wide enough apart to allow free . movement between them. Surrounding this immense space are three galleries, rising one above the other, two of them being 20 feet in width and the third 10 feet wide. The latter is a balcony, projecting from the

walls of tb« building and inclosed with an ornamental iron railing. There are four entranoes to the halL ▲t the north *and south and east and west fronts of the building and surrounding the court are a number of large and oommodious rooms on the first floor, which were used at former inaugural balls for cloak and toilet rooms, barber shops, supper rooms, information and press rooms, telegraph offices and police and fire departments. , The oommittee has already reoeived notices fr“in enough Republican olubs throughout the country to insure a civio parade of 15,000 people. While Ohio will have the most prominent place in the military display, she is also reaching out after the plaoe of honor in the club demonstration. Pennsylvania, however, will contest with her for this prerogative.—Washington Cor. Philadelphia Press.